


Heavy Rotation (Please Stop, It's Making Me Dizzy)

by tearstainangel



Series: Love from Hawthorn Wooden Hearts [1]
Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime)
Genre: M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-06
Updated: 2016-04-06
Packaged: 2018-05-31 15:29:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6475804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tearstainangel/pseuds/tearstainangel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inaho has been acting weird.<br/>Yuki is worried at first.</p><p> </p><p>(Then she realises what Inaho is trying to tell her.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heavy Rotation (Please Stop, It's Making Me Dizzy)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fluffyist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fluffyist/gifts).



> Thanks to Ambyrfire for beta.
> 
> I had a discussion on this idea with ITND back in January and got sudden inspiration to write it. Not sure if you still remember this but I hope you like it Britty!!~
> 
> The song in the fic is "Heavy Rotation" by AKB48.  
> Heavy rotation is a term that applies to a list of songs that get the most airplay on a radio station. Songs in heavy rotation will be played many times in a 24-hour period. A reason for playing the same song more than once a day is that many listeners tune in expecting to hear their favorite song, and most listeners don't listen to the radio for extended periods of time. However, this also leads to listener fatigue for those who work in stores and must hear the same songs repeatedly every day.
> 
> This takes place before From A to B to C to D End

 

 

 

Yuki grumbled under her breath at the dial tone. She had been trying to call Inaho but there was no answer. Even though he was usually within arm’s reach of it. She had evidence – hundreds of evidence – that her brother was glued to his phone.

Inaho had finally returned to Japan – permanently – after travelling all over the world for the past 18 months. It should have been easier to meet up with him but they were both busy; Yuki with work and Inaho with furnishing his new house.

“Argh!” Yuki screamed in frustration, “I’m going to go over on Saturday no matter what!”

Her mind set, Yuki typed out a message to Inaho before turning in for the night.

 

 _(Thursday 11:21pm)_ **_Kaizuka Yuki_ **

_Nao-kun, I couldn’t get hold of you, what were you doing? I haven’t seen you since you came back so I’m taking you out for lunch this Saturday. I wouldn’t accept no for an answer!_

 

* * *

 

Yuki gaped at her phone in disbelief. Somehow in the past seven hours – most of which he should have been asleep for – Inaho had managed to send her fifteen messages; which would have been fine if it was not for the fact that her brother did not text this much, as well as the… content of the messages.

Well, she had to admit, Inaho not texting much was not entirely accurate. There had been a steady rise in texts in the last year and an exponential increase since two weeks ago. The content had started as innocent messages before becoming obvious in its dubious nature, and now they all contained the same suspicious material.

Yuki turned on the TV to a random channel, letting the chatter of the talk show fill the silence as she prepared her breakfast. She missed Inaho’s cooking the most during the loneliness of mornings.

Popping bread into the toaster, she went to fry up some eggs and bacon. Bacon first, then eggs using the oil left in the pan. Yuki sat in front of the TV, her toast buttered and layered with the greasy meat and eggs, a girl group performing a new song in the background.

Taking a bite of her breakfast, Yuki scrolled through her messages. They were as expected.

 

 _(Thursday 11:58pm)_ **_Nao-kun_ **

_Sorry Yuki-nee, I didn’t notice my phone ringing. I was playing with Nires. I’ll be at the park on Saturday. We can go for lunch after._

_Attached Picture 318KB_

_Caption: Rabbit_

 

Yuki grimaced at the picture. She never knew her brother liked rabbits to this extent. She had been learning many things about Inaho these past months. Things she could not say with certainty that she wanted to know.

She recalled the previous incident with cats. He should have learnt his lesson after suffering scratches from the displeased creature; she had the picture to prove it.

Yuki finished up her breakfast as she waited for the rest of the pictures to load, staring blankly at the television. These changes in her brother started after she found about Slaine Troyard’s existence six months ago – possibly earlier; Inaho was hard to read face-to-face, thousands of miles would give even his sister difficulties.

If she was being honest with herself, it did not surprise her when Inaho had announced he was dating Troyard. As much as she tried to deny it, it was glaringly obvious. He would have better luck hiding an Aldnoah activation in the dark. Should she be happy he had shown his true feelings to her or lament the loss of denial?

Yuki had doubts about Inaho dating Slaine Troyard. Of course she did. Who would want their beloved brother to date a Martian? _You know better than to be racist, and Slaine is from Earth._ She must be going crazy because she could hear her brother arguing with her in her mind. Fine, he may be from Earth but he was still the enemy. _He was, in the past. The war is over. There is no use dwelling in something that has passed._ He was the commander! _Only at the very end. The Counts would have attacked regardless._

“He shot you in the head!” Yuki yelled at the empty room, her body tense. Why was she arguing with herself when it would not change anything? She flopped back onto the couch, the tension draining from her body. She had this quarrel with Inaho when she first heard about their relationship but he had shut down all her arguments firmly.

_“If you can’t trust him, trust me. I wouldn’t ask you to accept it straight away, but right now, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”_

There was no way for her to refute.

All she wanted was her brother’s happiness. If Slaine Troyard was the side-effect, she could swallow it. That does not mean she would not be keeping a close watch on him. Or she would have, if she could. Inaho has not let her meet Troyard yet, who knows when he would.

Yuki let her head loll to the side, glancing at the pictures lining the screen of her phone, idly flipping through them.

 

_[I strongly want_

_To tell you my feelings_

_Heavy rotation]_

 

She wondered what Inaho was planning. Is there a purpose to this? While Inaho seldom acted without purpose, he was not an unfeeling robot – despite what some people might believe. Is this a strategy or emotion?

 

_[Just like that song,_

_My favourite song_

_That I listen to all the time,]_

 

It was very similar to her co-workers’ actions. Was it possible that Inaho is…

 

_[In non-stop repeat mode_

_24 hours a day_

_I'm only requesting you]_

 

Yuki offed the television. She was going to go insane if she spent another second thinking about it.

 

_15 pictures saved to “Nires”_

 

\---

 

Yuki’s phone vibrated in her pocket. It was the sixth time – not counting the notifications trembling in succession – and it was only 1pm.

 

 _(Friday 1:12pm)_ **_Nao-kun_ **

_Attached Picture 327KB_

_Caption: Painting_

 

A sigh escaped her lips. Inaho started painting his room at 8am and she has been receiving hourly updates. Which was great! She loved to be involved in Inaho’s life. She just wished he would send photos she could show other people.

As if grabbing something, a hand appeared in front of her and clenched into a fist. “You lose a bit of happiness every time you sigh; don’t you know?”

“Lieutenant Marito!” Yuki exclaimed, caught off guard, she quickly tilted her phone’s screen away and returning it to her pocket before he could snatch it from her.

Marito sat across from her, “So suspicious,” he muttered.

Yuki ignored him and dug into her food. She would save the picture later.

 

\---

 

It was 11pm. Yuki was tucked under her blanket, ready to sleep in her big, comfortable bed. Splurging on it was a decision she would never regret. Hugging a pillow to her chest, she settled in – when her phone started buzzing on the bedside table.

Yuki groaned, pressing the pillow over her face. She chanted “Ignore it. Ignore it,” to herself but the phone kept vibrating undaunted. Once. Twice. Thrice. A pause, was it over? Nope. A fourth, fifth and sixth buzz. Silence.

Yuki peeked out of the cushion barrier, her phone laid unmoving on the table. The pillow falls from her loosened grip, tumbling over the side. Time to sleep. She was going to sleep. She was going to–

She rolled over and grabbed the phone. She could not just ignore the messages, something could have happened and she would not have known because she disregarded the text.

 

 _(Friday 11:09pm)_ **_Nao-Kun_ **

_Attached Picture 315KB_

 

 _(Friday 11:10pm)_ **_Nao-Kun_ **

_Attached Picture 334KB_

 

 _(Friday 11:11pm)_ **_Nao-Kun_ **

_Attached Picture 309KB_

 

 _(Friday 11:14pm)_ **_Nao-Kun_ **

_Attached Picture 312KB_

 

 _(Friday 11:15pm)_ **_Nao-Kun_ **

_Attached Picture 307KB_

 

 _(Friday 11:16pm)_ **_Nao-Kun_ **

_Goodnight Yuki-nee._

_Attached Picture 347KB_

_Caption: Goodnight_

 

Yuki heaved a chagrined sigh. Tomorrow Inaho would be getting a lecture on moderation. But for now, Sleep was more important.

 

 _(Friday 11:22pm)_ **_Kaizuka Yuki_ **

Goodnight Nao-kun.

 

_6 pictures saved to “Nires”_

 

* * *

 

Yuki threw her bag into the backseat and climbed into her car. She turned the engine on, the radio playing automatically in the background.

 

_[My affection is overflowing non-stop_

_Heavy rotation]_

 

Yuki switched the station immediatelyy, slouching in the car seat. Please no more. She has been hearing that song everyday, not from choice, but because it was playing on the radio all the time. It hit a little too close to home for her to enjoy it. If only she could shut down Inaho’s broadcasting station, it would no longer matter what radios were playing; she would be free from Inaho’s personal heavy rotation.

She had demanded Inaho to send her pictures when he started travelling more – a new city every few months. He sent a few photos a month to inform her of his life and the beautiful scenery. She would have liked more self-portraits but those remain sparingly few.

Half a year passed without much change, then after a week of silence the photos doubled. She figured that Inaho finally listened to her request for more pictures, but that was not what happened. She had only realised after receiving a picture she was not supposed to see. Somewhere along the line, Inaho had started taking pictures of more than just scenery, something – someone – else was more beautiful, more worthy to be captured in his lens – in his eyes, his heart.

Inaho wasn’t taking more pictures for her. He was taking more pictures because he was not taking pictures just for her anymore. How many of them were taken as a decoy for his real purpose? Lacking the most important aspect – person – it was merely a soulless replica.

The truth was in the air, spreading webs of cracks in Inaho’s wall and his feelings began spilling out. The pictures increased, he was sending as many in a week as he used to in a month. Photos that would have been tucked away lovingly before – to have only Inaho’s gaze upon it, upon its magnificence, hidden away from the world, his precious bewitching secret – were released. Twilight, Dawn, Dusk. Countries, cities, nature, mountains. “Most breath-taking places in the world.” “Humanity’s greatest architecture.” They were but a backdrop. Nothing was comparable.

Once they started dating, the photos multiplied until she felt like she was standing in front of a crumbling barrage – unable to withstand the pressure from rising tide – threatening to sweep her under. Inaho kept on filling the dam, trying to transmit a message through the waves – a language she could not understand.

Yuki ran her fingers under the streams leaking through the crack in the wall. Whispers. She could almost hear it, but it was too distant to make out what was said.

She was scared of what she might find, but she needed to know. What was Inaho trying to tell her? Hands flat on the wall, enveloped by the currents, she strained to catch the murmurs. Pressing on the barrier harder in vexation, an attempt to force out the answer.

Then the dam broke, like a flood, it washed over her. Yuki struggled against the torrent, she could not breathe.

 _“Don’t fight back,”_ the undercurrents trickled past her ears.

Her body went limp, exhausted of energy. All she could do was close her eyes and drift along with the tide.

 _“Open your eyes. Look.”_ Yuki squinted, rays of sun were penetrating the surface, illuminating the cold dark with a warm orange.

She understood at last.

 

_The pictures screamed, “I love him. I love him so much.”_

_Scratches on his face were “He’s so adorable.”_

_Paint splatters equalled “I’m building a home with him.”_

_Goodnight meant “I’m blessed to be here right now.”_

 

Inaho was in love. He was proud to be in love.

She knew, had known. But before this moment, she never truly _understood_ what that meant.

 

-

 

Her phone jingled, notifying a new message.

Yuki opened the message, already anticipating the contents. She was right.

 

 _(Saturday 12:14pm)_ **_Nao-Kun_ **

_Attached Picture 347KB_

_Caption: Feeding birds_

 

 _(Saturday 12:15pm)_ **_Kaizuka Yuki_ **

Send me some with you too. I want to see my brother.

I’m on my way over.

 

_1 picture saved to “Nires”_

 

\---

 

Inaho stared thoughtfully at Yuki’s message.

_“With you too.”_

A smile teased the corners of his lips.

Inaho walked up next to Slaine, camera on standby. His palm and fingers held his phone with familiarity.

“Slaine, look up.” Grabbing Slaine around the waist, Inaho pulled the blond close to him and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek; he snapped a picture.

“Wha- Why did you suddenly- Are you sending it your sister? Wait! Don’t-!”

 _Not bad,_ Inaho thought, and saved the picture before sending it to his sister while fending off Slaine’s protesting arms, expertly manoeuvring his phone with one hand.

“Did you seriously send that to your sister? Why would you do that?” Slaine questioned him, his cheeks tinted red.

Inaho focused his phone camera on Slaine’s blushing face. Adorable.

 

\---

 

Yuki reversed her car, sliding smoothly into the empty lot and put it in park.

Bag in hand, she slipped out of the vehicle, unlocking her phone to call Inaho when she saw the new message.

The screen showed the picture of Inaho kissing Slaine on the cheek, the blond’s eyes widened in surprise.

Yuki let out a chuckle, Troyard – no, Slaine – was probably an equal victim in this as she was.

She scrolled through her folders, her finger hovering over the most used one.

_Nires – 387 pictures_

She clicked on the chosen folder, “Aaand saved.”

 

_1 picture saved to “ **Family** ”_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Slaine -> Surein -> Su.Re.I.N -> N.I.Re.Su -> Ni.Re.Su -> Niresu -> Nires  
> Nires is Slaine's alias.
> 
> What if Inaho was the type that likes to gush about his boyfriend.  
> ^The question that spawned this fic.
> 
> Yuki didn't approve of Slaine but she still saved all the pictures Inaho sent her. ;u; What a great sister.


End file.
